A Cat So Clever
A Diagnooooooooooooosis

Gamechanger

So this happened. I, a grown-ass 42-year-old woman, was (just! like yesterday!) diagnosed with adult ADHD. 

I imagine a lot of people are reading that and thinking, "Well, yes, Amy. Have you met yourself? Ever read your writing?" 

Other people who've known me for years, on the other hand, have already responded to the news with, "Huh. Really? Are you sure?"

Either way, it feels weird! I have two different children with two different flavors of ADD/ADHD, so you'd think at some point (like maybe while filling out my four dozenth Vanderbilt parent rating scale) I would've stopped and thought, gee, this feels familiar. 

But it's that "adult" bit, which is admittedly different. I don't think I ever looked up that particular symptom list or that specific rating scale. 

And why would I? I was a quiet, well-behaved child who earned straight A's all through school and college. I landed my first real editorial job before I even graduated, and accepted my first big promotion the same day I left to go take my final exams. I used to churn out 10, 15. 20 blog posts a week for years without even part-time childcare! And I've spent more than a decade building a successful freelance career that depends on my ability to manage my own time and stay organized and motivated.

No, I don't have ADHD.

Sure, I've also lived a life wracked with terrible anxiety about everything for as long as I can possibly remember. (Do you know what would happen if I DIDN'T behave as a child and/or get straight A's and/or admitted I was burning out and needed help? Doom. Disaster. Death. Devil possession. Probably in that order!)  And freelancing mostly appeals to me because I can jump from task to task and subject to subject without anything ever getting too boring or repetitive. And without the constant threat of  multiple, non-negotiable deadlines, I would literally never get anything done

Oh, and also because I don't have to: 1) Leave the house on time, 2) find my keys and wallet on a regular basis. 3) show up on time for anything other an occasional pajama'd Skype call, 4) mask how quickly I zone out and start clicking around my browser tabs during meetings, and 5) filter out a million office distractions, from the person chatting in the next cubicle over to the overwhelming urge to reorganize a filing cabinet instead of tackling my actual work.

No, I can't possibly have ADHD. 

***

Over the last couple years, a couple (apparently crucial) puzzle pieces fell out of place, and my entire coping system collapsed. 

My workload shifted from strictly deadline-centric to more fluid, ad hoc tasks. I slowly learned that nothing bad would happen if I got something done on a Tuesday vs. Monday. Then I learned nothing really bad would happen if I waited until...Wednesday. These were Very Bad Lessons to learn and no amount of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (or my often underfunded bank account) could get me to unlearn them. I struggled with both the initial inertia of starting a new project (like typing That First Sentence) and with completing the final details (like remembering to click "send" on My Damn Invoice). 

Meanwhile, my corporate client base grew but with each client came a separate email address/calendar/team collaboration tool to check and monitor throughout the day. The work was easy but repetitive and occasionally mind-numbingly boring. I had trouble keeping track of everything going on in a centralized way--despite the use of to-do lists and agendas and so many, many organizational/time management/productivity apps--so something I acknowledged on Monday and promised would be done by Wednesday would get forgotten about until Thursday and then my anxiety would paralyze me (YOU STUPID BITCH-style) about it until Friday. 

One long-time client eventually opted to end my contract. I deserved it. 

A couple important friendships ended abruptly and messily, while others faded away in typical Grown-Up Slow Death fashion. It was pointed out to me (both gently and not very fucking gently at all) that I talk too much in social settings and interrupt/talk over people far too often.

This is a lifelong tic/habit that I've historically rationalized as growing up as the youngest of seven children (I HAVE TO INTERRUPT OR THEY WILL FORGET I EXIST), or as being an extrovert married to an introvert (YO I'M JUST TALKING FOR TWO OVER HERE).

I've defended it as a sign that I'm just super-excited and highly engaged in the conversation (YES I READ THAT ARTICLE YOU JUST MENTIONED AND AGREE AND ALSO! ADDITIONALLY! TOO!), or as just Amy occasionally morphing into Amalah in public (ALL CAPS RUN-ON SENTENCES ARE FUNNY RIGHT?).

But no, suddenly I was painfully aware that this was a problem, that I was being rude and annoying, that probably my whole LIFE I'd been rude and annoying! I'd start talking and see someone's irritated face and wish I could inhale the words I was currently speaking back into my chest and puddle into the floor. I'd give myself pep talks in bathroom mirrors in other people's houses (SHUT. THE FUCK. UP.) and wear hair ties around my wrists to fidget and flick myself with whenever I felt the urge to interrupt someone (WHICH IS ALL. THE. TIME.). If I forgot the hair tie, I'd literally bite my tongue and dig my nails into my palms. 

The only strategy I found that really works is focusing solely on the other person's mouth. If their lips are moving, I keep mine closed. 

Once their mouth stops moving, of course, I have no earthly idea what we're even talking about anymore, because I've tuned the actual conversation out entirely. 

Eventually, it just got easier to stay home. 

***

Meanwhile, the day-to-day responsibilities of a larger house and more housework, the competing schedules and needs of older children (all three now officially slapped with the special needs label!), four pets, various foster animals (an admittedly impulsive and entirely self-inflicted burden) made it impossible to stay on top of all the things, and even if I aimed to finish out a day declaring victory over some of the things, I still dragged the weight of the other things to bed with me every night. 

And of course, all of this was happening in lockstep with my worsening generalized anxiety symptoms and depression. (And, you know, DONALD TRUMP.) The pain and hopelessness that culminated on the night of June 2, 2018 stemmed from an overwhelming, crushing sense of failure. I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't hack it, whatever "it" even was, because I was failing at everything. I was letting everyone down. I was an inadequate mom, a lazy burden of a wife, bad at my job, a terrible friend and basically a helpless peon in a universe spinning out of control.

("The recent rating scales also indicate a high level of perfectionism." - Ike's school psychologist)

Mentally and emotionally, I've crawled far, far out of that place, away from that night. But the reality is that the many of the problems that dragged me there in the first place are still problems.

"I AM feeling better," I'd report to my doctor, "But I still feel so far away from where I was before."

***

I've asked multiple therapists and five million Google tabs how can I stop procrastinating and get shit done and how to minimize distractions while working from home and why can't I stop interrupting and STFU sometimes and is this what self-sabotage looks like? 

I've tried paper and app-based to-do lists, time-wasting app- and website blockers, meditation, mindfulness, and  S.M.A.R.T. goals, I stash my phone in a kitchen cabinet on days when I realize I simply MUST finish something. I sync my calendar with Jason's because he's much better at entering appointments and events than I am. (But if he forgets to add something -- like Noah's high school band audition last week that he needed specific sheet music for (that we needed to remind him to take because NOAH HAS ADHD) -- we're screwed. Noah went to school without the correct music and I beat myself up about it for days because how did I forget thatJason's job requires him to keep seven million balls in the air at all times and today I got stressed out over having to send two whole emails.) I have tracking devices on my wallet and keys and set appointment reminders 15 minutes before everything and the clocks in the kitchen are set five minutes fast.

And of course, I've tried treatment and medication for both depression and anxiety. 

I spent most of my 20s and early 30s thinking that life was like this for everybody. Then I spent the last few years worrying that it was like this for NOBODY. I told my therapist (in my patented super-jokey self-deprecating way) that maybe I was just hopeless. 

"Maybe," she said, "You have ADHD."

I sputtered and repeated, "What? No. What? No. What? No." That's never been brought up. Never mentioned. 

And I would know, too, wouldn't I? I have two children with ADHD! I've been through this song and dance! Twice! And I've seen the life-changing, night-and-day effect that the right dose of the right medication can have. Twice

(Ezra brought home straight A's this semester without even trying. He's been promoted to the advanced band ensemble and is loving it. He had a paper due on a Friday and had it done by Tuesday, so he'd have time to make revisions. And he wrote it in immaculate, beautiful cursive.) 

But that's them. Not me. I'm...way more complicated than that.

She sent me off with some rating scales and articles as homework.

***

I missed my next session because my car battery died, and then she moved offices, I forgot to make a follow-up appointment, and then I was like, she wasn't even that helpful tbh, six months of work and I'm STILL not where I was before. 

But I had a standing check-in appointment with my doctor set for yesterday, so I decided to at least read over the stuff she gave me. 

  • Did you know that people with ADHD are six times more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression or another psychiatric disorder? And that untreated ADHD can make anxiety worse and deepen depression? I did not!
  • Did you know that questions 15 - 18 on this rating scale were even a thing, and that thing is literally me, and also a major source of my social anxiety and self-loathing and why I dream of creating a "mute microphone" button like in Skype but for real-life dinner parties? I did not! 
  • Did you know that Wellbutrin, one of the few antidepressants I actually noticed an improvement on (even at a very low dose), is often used off-label to treat ADHD? Okay, I did know this one, but totally forgot. 
  • Did you know that other thing where you're like, "I can't have ADHD because I can totally get laser-focused on things when I want to?"  Like when maybe you were technically supposed to work on your taxes but you organized the linen closet or watched the entire season of Cheer in a single sitting? Or maybe back when blogging was new and shiny and fun it was just a lot easier to write 10, 15, 20 posts a week than it is to write just one or two about Azure blob storage? Did you that's called hyperfocus and it's also an ADHD thing? It's like when we told my in-laws that Noah had ADHD, and they were like, "But that can't be; he's so good at Legos?"

So at the risk of sounding like every pharmaceutical commercial ever, I asked my doctor about adult ADHD. She updated my script for Wellbutrin and added Vyvanse, and reminded me sometimes this stuff takes a lot of tweaking. 

Did you know I wrote this entire blog post today, in one sitting? 

Just like I used to. Before!

 

 

Comments

Bel

My husband was diagnosed with ADHD at 40. Medication has been life changing. Congratulations! I hope it helps to bring you some peace.

Laura L

I, too, was diagnosed with adult ADHD. Unfortunately, the medication made my blood pressure so high I had to go off of it. I remember the psychologist telling me that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. I felt better mentally on medication. I did not know that adults with ADHD have more anxiety and depression. But that’s me to a T. Maybe I should look back into medication and see if there is a way to offset the high blood pressure. Thanks Amy. I have learned so much from you

SarahB

Welcome to the club!

I too was diagnosed as an adult—age 38. It also came as a shock, a huge shock, even as at the same time it made So Much Sense. It’s been one heck of a ride.

“Driven to Distraction” by Ned Hallowell was the first thing that made me feel seen—and not just in a negative way—after my diagnosis. He has a podcast too, and lots of other works. Love him.

Dani Donovan’s ADHD comics on twitter are also really lovely. Easy to send to my spouse and say “yo, my brain does this thing she describes here.”

(For recommending the miracle blanket years and years ago, I feel the least I can do is offer resources that helped me in this particular new and trying time.)

Lori

I’ve had this little noise in my head for years that this might be something I deal with and maybe I should ask about it. And then I did and my therapist gave me a head shake. And then every “stimulant” type med I’ve ever been on has given me anxiety, so I thought, nah.

But damn If that shit does not sound familiar.

I’m glad that you’re getting treated and it’s working. I’m also glad that you share these things..for the rest of us.

Thank you Amy.

Jabberwocky

Ummm . . . I think I need to talk to my doctor about this. Cause this sounds a lot like me. Thank you for sharing.

Cali

I pressured my long time depressed husband to talk to his doc about this when the latest depression med didn’t help and a tiny dose of Ritalin and omg it’s like the person I married is starting to visit my house again! Here’s to everyone feeling better.

Lisa

Well I am SO glad that your therapist piped up! And so glad you have new insight. xox.

Pam

I, a grown-ass woman of 57, was diagnosed two years ago. Honestly, understanding that I literally had a brain thing and that I wasn't actually Giant Loser Human has been the best thing that ever happened to me. I hope that it is (or will be) a positive thing for you too.

Welcome to the club!

Susannah

I was initially diagnosed with ADHD in high school and then just kind of...ignored it? Got used to it? I don't know. It came roaring back in full force a few years ago in the form of ambient noise induced panic attacks. All of the sudden, I hit 40 and my brain stopped being able to sort and filter various sounds, conversations and music around me and started trying to process it all at once and it was a Very Awful Thing. I talked to my doctor and she was all "umm...Adult ADHD?" and I started taking Wellbutrin for it and it was amazing. I'm glad something has clicked. I know the relief you're feeling all too well.

Diana

ADHD inattentive at 39!! I always knew I wasn’t “right” and thought maybe it was autism or depression or I was a severe introvert or I was just a loser who didn’t live up to my potential. Still working on the right meds but knowing that I’ve actually accomplished a lot given how my brain works has been so helpful!

Theresa

I was diagnosed two years ago, when my kids started showing signs and I started reading up on it and learned about executive function, and why it’s so much easier to lie on the couch and hate myself than get up and do the dreaded task that my mind has spun into a GIANT MASSIVE THING. Ritalin not only changed my life, it changed my self perception. Like before Ritalin I just thought I was “like that.” You know, a hilarious flake of a hot mess who talks so fast people get scared and back away, all the while I’m internally screaming to shut up. The self loathing was real and heavily internalized to the point I added Klonapin and Trintellix to deal with a lifetime of hearing I was a fuck up both from my family and friends and inside of my head. It’s been quite a journey of forgiveness for myself. I just want to go back to high school and hug that strung out jittery motormouth who WANTS to be good at everything but hasn’t the first idea how to break term papers into steps and is consequently sobbing at four am the day it’s due . IT WASNT HER FAULT.

Niki

Two recommendations! (As a woman diagnosed at 45):

-"Women & ADHD," a book by Sari Solden. None of the other ADHD books painted such a clear picture of *me.* (There is also a book called Girls & ADHD that helped me understand my middle-school self so much better -- girls often first see symptoms during pre-puberty -- and that my hyper-chattiness that appeared from out of nowhere was a symptom. But Solden talks about Shame and Housework, and how women can go undiagnosed for so long, and I buy every used copy I find so I can thrust it into the hands of women considering or coming to terms with ADHD diagnosis.)
-Jessica McCabe's How to ADHD video series on YouTube.

I am one of your long-time followers who is not surprised by this discovery. There have been a couple of posts where I held myself back from writing to say "this is probably not your fault! It sounds like ADHD!!" because I am just someone who sees pieces of you on the internet. I am glad you have therapy in your toolbox because if you are anything like me, there may be some grief and anger to process, among other emotions.

So much love ❤️ to you.

Niki

I tried on the idea of ADHD sporadically over a period of a few years, but kept coming back to the easier conclusion that I was lazy/broken/rude etc. What finally flipped the script for me was a retired physician in the neighborhood -- she had just been diagnosed, at age 72. She was incredibly hard-working and successful in her career, and had been able to keep things together on one level or another her entire life, until menopause (which tends to make situations worse). That is what led me to research and find the description of girls with ADHD and the Sari Solden book, in which she explicitly talks about how women often make it through high school and maybe college, if they have strong supports and scaffolding. And that it's when we hit all the demands of managing adulthood -- and especially household management -- that it begins to fall apart.

Leslie

We all deserve to be happy with ourselves. I'm glad your doctor brought this up and you were honest enough to acknowledge it.

Amy

I have adult ADHD also but then got divorced so I didn’t have insurance for 6 years and those meds are waaaay too expensive to pay for out of pocket.
Anyhow, meds. Please, please be careful with them. Please. I know Vyvanse is supposed to be safer, with less potential for abuse, but that doesn’t mean abuse-proof. My current husband was diagnosed with ADHD several years ago. Started out fine with just Vyvanse, but then started taking double doses because he liked being able to focus and get things done. Kept getting the dosage increased, then got Adderall as an afternoon “booster”. His current prescriptions are 70 mg Vyvanse and 20 mg Adderall IR. (Two different psychiatrists have allowed this shit.) The 30 day supply for both RX is gone in less than 3 weeks, sometimes in as little as 10 days. It’s like being married to someone with bipolar disorder. Mania when he first refills, then irritability from not sleeping for days, then deep depression and crashing when he runs out again. It’s fucking hell.
I didn’t mean to be a buzz kill, I just wanted to caution against any potential desire to “take another dose, just this once, so I can get XYZ done.”

Lori

I was diagnosed at 30. Inattentive here. The diagnosis really was a game changer for me, mentally after having been characterized by teachers (and...you know...my mom) as lazy and irresponsible for so many years. It just felt really freeing to have a reason.

The day I started on Adderall, I had an all day training. I took my first dose before the morning session and couldn't tell whether it was helping but then forgot to take the midday dose before the afternoon session started. When I took it, I realized that there had been noise inside my head that was receding and also that I'd been mentally berating myself for not paying attention before the meds helped quiet the noise. It was a revelation. How much of my life had I spent just fighting against my own brain? Adderall has been a godsend for me. Sadly the appetite suppressant part wore off pretty quickly, but I did lose about ten pounds right at first. I did try one of the non stimulant ones when I was having some trouble sleeping, but it gave me headaches and mood swings, so I went back to Adderall and just cut back on my dose. It has the side benefit of a little bit of a mood boost too.

I still have a hard time starting things and still forget things and lose words (I would forgive you jumping in because I understand that it's irresistible for people around me to finish my sentences when I leave long pauses) and never, ever remember anyone's name. But it's better and more manageable. And understanding it better means I can better anticipate when and how it might make things difficult.

I really hope this leads to making things easier for you too.

Suzanne

Hyperfocus! I haz that, to a disgusting degree. As a kid, I would sit curled up on the couch, reading a book, while the rest of the 11 people in my childhood home made a lot of noise and chaos. It is why I didn't think I possibly had ADHD.

When my son was diagnosed in 2001, his behavioral pediatrician looked at his Connor's scales, then at me and my husband and said "one of you absolutely has severe ADHD," and he and my husband looked at me. I responded "a good manager has to be able to do 15 things at once!" Yep, severe ADHD. I returned to college in 2009 and used a lot of that hyperfocusing to get my work done. It got harder to do, but I was able to manage my master's program.

I waved the white flag the second semester of my doctoral program and I've been medicated ever since. Strattera has been amazing for my sleep more than my focus. (ADHD and insomnia are common co-diagnoses). Adderrall was better for my focus, but not my sleep, which is why I'm on both. Thanks to some health diagnoses and a new boss who is fond of telling me she'll fire me multiple times a week, I've added Xanax to the mix.

Currently, I'm on medical leave for work, and the lack of routine is horrible for ADHD. I need something to remind me of doctors appointments, but am loathe to get a smart watch because it would be far too distracting (similar to you putting your phone away), and am wondering if I can use a fitbit with alarms to remind me of appointments.

I've found planners (now a traveler's notebook with multiple bullet journals for each specific topic) are a HUGE help for my ADHD issues. Recently, I added a command center at home to keep track of three people's work schedules. If you don't have something like this, when your ADHD sons start working, I encourage something visual like this, assigning each person their own color. This way, they realize that Mom has to drive Ike to this thing at 3pm, so I need to wait for her to pick me up - things like that.

JustManry

I've never seen an adult so well describe Adult ADHD. Truly. As a teenager, I never knew why I struggled as opposed to others.
Vyvanss is awesome

As are YOU. Great post - thank you again!

Brandi

Omg, Amy. I will be showing this to my husband. He was diagnosed at 18. But at the time the only options were stimulant meds which made him feel bad, so he muddled through. All the way through college and grad school. Then his mom died and in the last 14 years since we’ve been doing the depression/anxiety dance, and the whole time I’m on the sidelines going “What about the ADHD? That’s definitely setting off some problems depression wise, and it’s probably part of the anxiety.” And now he’s on something that helps but not as much as he’d like and he really needs a doc who isn’t a resident... Anyway, I’ll send this to him and hope it helps him to keep trying. It’s sinister how depression hangs around with anxiety and ADHD. I remind him of that. And that my migraines pal around with my fibro, but that means we have to keep our eyes on several balls at once.

Kate

❤❤❤

Wendy

Oh. Just. Oh.
High functioning female executive...who scores almost entirely in the grey of part A...mostly off to the right.
ADHD runs in the family...but me too? Never even occurred to me...but this last year has been TOUGH and your post resonates.
Oh.

Claire

Another sitting here going oh.

ASD runs in my family. I have a serious dose of anxiety. I have always felt like I'm weird, or something. I over analyse everything. Holding eye contact too long? I need to do this thing, then the other thing, OMG I'm overwhelmed. Must hide.

Did the quiz thing. Would you look at that.
My sister did. Same score but different questions.

I don't know what I do from here. Reading the comments has been eye opening too.

I'm getting that women and ADHD book though.

Chelsea

Wow! I’m so glad your therapist mentioned ADHD to you!
I was diagnosed as an adult as well and ONLY because I mentioned it to my doctor when I noticed my mental health deteriorating.
When he asked why I hadn’t brought it up YEARS ago, my bewildered answer was, “What could you have done?”
“Offered you some medication and counselling options BEFORE you got to this point?” Impressively, he managed to NOT roll his eyes at me while saying this.

I now realize the anxiety, depression & PTSD from some early childhood trauma all stem from my brain being wired a little differently. Which helps to make the most effective battle plan possible!

Vyvanse has been a huge help for me too and I’ve already ordered the Sari Solden book, thanks to the above comments!

On Twitter, there is a brilliant woman Erynn Brook (@erynnbrook ) and her threads about ADHD have opened my eyes like no one else.

I have a son the same age as Noah and have been following you since he was just a toddler. I’ve noticed so many similarities between our lives (my husband’s name is Jason too!!!) and do it somehow makes sense that we’d have this in common as well. (You are waaaay cooler, however!)

All this to say: I see you, I get it & I’m rooting for you! Along with everybody else and these comments, we’ve got your back, you can do this. Way to go!

Brianna

::raises hand:: SAME. Modafinil has been my med of choice, non stimulant.

My husband has it, so does my son. Our house is...interesting at times. The books everyone suggested are amazing. So many things clicked into place. I think my parents still don't get it, but my constant running thoughts and just low level anxiety hum is drastically down.

B.A.

This is me. But when I mentioned to my NP that I wanted to be evaluated, the person in that office doing the evaluations gave me the children's rating scale. So since I don't pick fights with people, etc. I wasn't diagnosed. The NP was still willing for me to try ADHD meds, but I would have to wean off the depression medication first, and that was too scary, especially in the dark of winter. I may need to revisit.

Cara

Thank you so much for your honesty. You are no small part of why I went to my doctor a month ago and said "I'm having to work really, really hard to just be okay. Being okay shouldn't be this hard." I felt self-conscious and a little worried he would metaphorically roll his eyes. Instead, I got support and walked out with a plan for getting to better than ok. Thank you for helping me walk in.

June

I was diagnosed 2 years ago at age 50 and when the doctor told me I started crying. She was so concerned and immediately tried to reassure me by saying "Don't worry, we can find a way to treat this!". I told her that I wasn't upset that I had ADD, I was crying because I was so relieved that I wasn't going crazy.

Lindsay

Me too me too me too! I think I'm pretty much exactly your age and I got my diagnosis last year. Things suddenly made so much sense. I sure wish I'd known when I was busy being massively depressed and flunking out of college (eventually went back but it's made me feel like a total fuckup ever since.) I'm pretty high-functioning now but was still constantly berating myself, unfocused (or hyper focused) and it just wasn't fun.

I'm on Wellbutrin now and it definitely helps, although I need a pretty high dose. It's not 100% better, and this post and comments were a good reminder that there's a reason things are hard, and that I'm not the only one.

Meg

Shit. I think this might be me. I literally just emailed my doctor. Thanks, Amy.

Alice

That song taught me so much about how I talk to myself.
I mean the whole series is fantastic but that song in particular made me go "oh that's not good wait that's exactly what I did to myself".
Thanks for sharing your life so generously.

Melissa

Soooo.... I think I need to talk to my doctor? Because a lot of these symptoms sound a lot like me? I.... am flabbergasted. And really curious to find out if I'm just lazy (as my mom always said, because I could NEVER! START! A! THING!), or if there is actually something going on here.... Thank you for opening my eyes!! :o

Chiquita

I think my mom might have it, but I'm not sure she would ever agree to treatment in her mid 70s. All my life she has been a roller coaster talker where one cannot get a word in edgewise. Good for you for taking this step.

Elizabeth_K

Feeling all the feels of gratitude for your sharing and your honesty and your life. And also was reading this thinking -- it's bad to really enjoy a post this long and thoughtful about such a complicated subject, isn't it? But ... then you ended like you did, and I thought ... this does remind me of the 'old days.' I'm so glad you are here to figure all of this out!! You are a model for me.

Kelly

Just so you know, you may not talk too much (or as too much as you think). You may have cooperative-overlap-conversation https://www.thoughtco.com/cooperative-overlap-conversation-1689927. I do this (raised with three sisters and this was absolutely normal way to talk in my house. I could (and still can) follow several conversations at once. I’ve been trying to be more careful, because I’m out in the world more, and not everyone loves this style. BUT, when I try to do the one-at-a-time talk, I space out :-)

Maybe I have ADHD. Certainly have had kids with issues. BUT...

I think you need an assistant. We don’t really expect most busy professionals to do their work without the support of at least a part-time admin assistant. Why not try it? You have a lot of important work on your plate. Why not get some help to keep yourself organized and motivated without becoming anxious?

Medication is good. But actually having someone to do the things your brain isn’t so great at in order to free you up for the things you are good at is ...something to seriously consider.

Valerie A Clark

My uncle had ADHD, but when I came to numbers, he was hyper focused. He never was diagnosed, but we all knew. He was a very successful business man and accountant. However, if it was something he wasn't interested in, it didn't get done. He had 2 daughters who were diagnosed ADD and could not function or hold a job. One medicates. The other did until she got pregnant. She knew she need to get back on meds, but never got around to making an appointment. She and her 17 yr old daughter, died last summer from a small plane crash (with her pilot mom and 13 yr old son). She never got around to making an appointment for almost 18 years.

JustManry

I was diagnosed in my late 30s. Vyvanse changed my life. I never knew why I couldn't just make things work like other people seemed to do with ease.

Erica Hettwer

I've scheduled an appointment with my doctor for tomorrow at 3:30. Thank you, Amy. <3

Olivia

Look up @orbyn on Twitter. Female blogger in the uk also who has adult ADHD and has a memoir coming out - I think about life with mental health and how the adhd impacts it.

KelleyD

ADD/ADHD is something I want to discuss with my doctor. I just in the last 6 months or so started meds for anxiety (zoloft) and while I feel somewhat calmer, less short with my boys, and not having full on crying fits everyday, I still feel like my brain is a rabbit running back and forth in a cage when I am trying to get anything accomplished.

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